Love Through Adversity
by Gifted-Hands05
Summary: Remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall - think of it, ALWAYS. Mahatma Gandhi *This was the best summary I could think of. The story does deal with family drama and race relations.


**AN: Hey ya'll! I am still working on my next one shot for the challenge. Thank you so much for sticking with me, I don't feel like I can say that enough. This one shot is sort of my way of venting. It comes from my feelings about things I've seen, conversations I've had, and my own personal attractions and the reactions to those particular attractions. Don't worry I'm not going to get on some soap box. Everybody is entitled to their opinions but I will say this: Love doesn't make sense at the best of time, it's crazy, it makes you irrational, and open to be hurt, but if you find somebody that's worth loving, worth going through the crazy ups and down that comes with being in love then love that person. **

**I don't own anything you recognize!  
**

**~*:Taylor:*~**

I pulled up to my parent's home and turned off my car. I wasn't in too much of a rush to go in, but I was home on summer vacation and I seriously couldn't put off going in until it was time to go back to school. Oh how I wish I could. Growing up an only child of well off parents I was cherished and spoiled beyond belief. I was also brought up to be the best at everything; rather it was piano, dance, tennis, academics, or theatre. From the time I was born until the start of my junior year of college I was considered and looked upon as the apple of my parent's eye. Then suddenly things changed and my relationship with my father was strained at best. My relationship with my mother wasn't as bad as the one I currently had with my father but it wasn't great. As a child you never feel that there's anything that you could do that would drastically change the dynamic of your relationship with your parent's but a little over a year ago that theory was proven wrong.

A chance meeting and a conversation brought out things within me and my parents that I never thought could exist. Love turned my family on its ends and things haven't been the same since.

I took a deep breath and stepped out of my car and headed inside. My parents met me in the hallway with stiff hugs and small smiles.

"Hello mother, father."

"Taylor, dear you're looking beautiful."

"Thank you mother, you're looking well." I told her as I leaned in for air kisses.

I sighed and braced myself to face my dad.

"Father, how are you."

"It depends, have you ended you're relationship with that boy?"

I gave him a bitter smile.

"This has to be a new record father. I haven't been home a whole twenty four hours and you're already on my case for dating Troy."

"I wouldn't be on your case if you'd just end the damn relationship like I asked you to."

"It's been over a year, and we're still together. We're still strong so I'd advise you to get used to it."

Walking away without another word and my head held high I headed up to my bedroom. I wanted to be childish and slam my door but I didn't. It wouldn't serve a purpose. I laid on my back and let the tears fall.

A little over a year ago with the final weeks of my sophomore year approaching and finals along with it I decided to just take a load off. So, I headed to an afternoon movie and what started off as taking a day off ended up with me meeting Troy Bolton. We went to school together but lost touch after graduation. So we spent most of the day catching up. Troy was happy to see that I was doing well in school, and I was extremely proud to know that he had just been drafted into the NBA. The hour turned late but we found that we didn't want to leave each other's company so he invited me back to his apartment to watch the sun come up. That night was the start of something new and exciting.

The term ended and I wasn't looking forward to leaving the city or Troy. On the day I had to leave and head home Troy met me outside my dorm room. He opened his arms and I walked right into the embrace.

"I'm going to miss you, Troy."

"I'm going to miss you too, baby girl."

We stayed like that wrapped up in each other for a few more minutes before I pulled away.

"I need to go if I want to make it home before midnight."

"OK, but before you go let me ask you something, I've really enjoyed our time together and I was wondering if you would like to make this thing a little more serious."

I broke out into a huge grin.

"Meaning?"

"Taylor McKessie, do you, want to be my girlfriend?"

"Troy Bolton, I would love to."

He grabbed me by my shirt and gently pulled me to him and kissed me. It wasn't our first kiss but it was our most passionate. Pulling away slowly he tapped my ass and told me to go.

The days of my summer vacation started to turn into weeks and I found myself missing Troy something serious. My happy demeanor turned sad and blue. I could tell that my parents were worried about me so I tried to assure them that all was fine but they weren't buying it. One night at dinner everything came to a head. My father voiced his displeasure at what he called my bitter attitude.

"Young lady, what has gotten into you?"

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine, Taylor. You came home so happy and excited but now you're walking around here like you've lost your best friend."

"That's putting it mildly. She's walking around here like a bitter and ungrateful little brat."

I just looked at my dad fighting with everything that was in me not to roll my eyes simply out of respect and upbringing. I turned my focus on my mother as she touched my shoulder.

"Talk to us."

"You remember Troy Bolton? We graduated together."

"How could I not? He was the star basketball player, and if I'm not mistaken your best friend's boyfriend and best friend to your boyfriend."

"Didn't he get drafted into the NBA?"

"Yes sir he did." I answered through gritted teeth still not feeling my father at the moment.

"That's great but what does he have to do with why you're so sad, honey?"

"We met up again while I was at school, and we really like each other mom. We started dating before I left and I just… I"

"You miss him."

"So much!"

I smiled at my mom thankful that she understood.

"We have been texting, video chatting, and he is coming down for a visit next week but I just miss him."

"I forbid it."

"Excuse you?"

"You heard me Taylor, I forbid it. As you're father I have that right and it's not like you have time to date anyways. You're going into your junior year of college. You need to focus."

"Focus, really dad I have the highest GPA in my class."

"And you don't need some white boy coming into your life and getting you off track. You'll finish out these last two years, go to grad school…."

"And let me guess marry a nice black man, and have his babies, right?"

"That sounds about right."

"Do you even realize that you sound like an ass right now?"

"Watch your mouth young lady. I'm just looking out for your best interest. As a black woman there is a huge chance that you will face being shut out of opportunities in life especially career wise so as your parents we've done everything we could to cut down those odds that's been set against you. You will not throw away all of your training, education, upbringing, and opportunities by dating that white boy. I know you're used to getting your way and that's my fault but Taylor you will not go against me on this. "

"Adversity is part of life. Something everybody goes through, so me dating a white man does what exactly?"

"Other than make you a sell out in your own community? Look baby girl not everyone is open to interracial couples and that will make your life more difficult. I can't have that."

"Dad, I'm fluent in multiple languages; I am at the top of my class, as well as a trained pianist and dancer. I think it's safe to say that a lost opportunity or a little adversity here or there will not ruin my chances at a good life."

"Yes but talking to me reckless might. End it Taylor. NOW!"

I had to tell Troy what had happened and before the week was out he had me packed up and heading back to his apartment until the dorms opened up. I never thought that I would see the day that I, "daddy's baby girl", would hate speaking to her father. But I was at that point and it made me sick to my stomach.

As tears poured down I continued to think about how the past year had taken a toll on my family. My dad and I were at war and my mother was caught in the middle. I'd never asked her if she shared my dad's thoughts on me dating outside of my race and I wouldn't. I don't know what I would do if she did. I would feel like I was losing everything I had outside of my life with Troy.

Troy Bolton, that man, my man was amazing. Throughout it all he's never muttered a harsh word against my father. He continued to love me and backed me in my decisions not to go to family functions if he wasn't invited, even if he felt like I should go. He was amazing and I couldn't see how anyone could not love him.

I was brought out of my thought by a knock on my door.

"Come in"

I sat up as my mother walked in. She sat beside me and placed her forehead on mine.

"I'm so proud of you."

"For what, mom?"

"For standing up for what you want, even against your father. You're my child, and I could tell from the time you were knee high that even though you adored and were so much like your father that you would be like me in the sense that you would be passionate about the things you loved. Honey, you love hard, and I believe that you have found someone that loves you as deep and as passionately as you love him, and that is ALL I've ever wanted for you as far as the man you chose goes. Not everyone gets to experience that, and I am so proud that you haven't let your father's words or my lack of words get in the way of that."

"You don't know how much I needed to hear that. I don't know, maybe you did. Mom I've seen the way some people look at Troy and I when we're together. I've heard the whispers. Black blogs praise him for being a successful white man with an educated black beauty on his arms while others… well others aren't so nice. I'm not naive I knew we would face hate to some degree, I just never thought that some of it would come from my dad. My superman."

She giggled as I used the nick name that I had given my dad during my youth.

"Neither did I baby, but let me ask you this when you look at Troy what do you see?"

"The man that I love."

"The man you love is exactly right. Not the white man you love, or white man this, white man that. And if he continues to be simple the man you love then sweetie that is all that matters."

She kissed me on the cheek and left.

I thought about her words and reached for my phone to call Troy. He picked up on the first ring.

"Hey baby is everything okay? Do I need to come get you?"

"Do you think it's weird that we don't discuss the difference between us?"

"Huh?"  
"Do you think it's weird that we don't discuss the difference between us?"

"No, not really because when I look at you I don't see different. I just see the beautiful, sexy, smart woman that I love, why?"

"No reason, you just told me everything I needed to hear."

I smiled into the phone feeling better than I had in a long time. Not everyone would be happy that we were together. I guess it's a good thing that I didn't live my life for others, at least not any more. Troy made me happy and I prayed that one day my father would see that. That one day he would accept that regardless of the difference in our skin tone, and regardless of the hate we would face because of that difference, that I was happy. I prayed that one day he would accept my relationship and Troy as simple the man that I loved.


End file.
